Former President Donald Trump served french fries and greeted customers at a McDonald’s in suburban Philadelphia on Sunday. Video and images from Trump’s shift at the iconic fast food restaurant went viral.
Trump’s appearance garnered much scrutiny and led to a wide range of comments and opinions on social media. While the image of the billionaire and former president serving fries received praise from many people, not everyone was a fan. There was a significant uptick in searches for “boycott McDonald’s” on Google on Monday, according to the Associated Press.
Social media platforms also featured calls to boycott McDonald’s and were rife with declarations from users not to ever return to the fast food establishment because of Trump’s appearance.
“I will never buy anything from @McDonalds, shame on you,” posted an account under the name MAYRA Photography. The particular comment drew over 34,600 views and thousands of likes on X.
“There is something about McDonald’s endorsing Trump that makes me just not ever want to buy anything from them again,” an account named Paul Muad’Dib “Worm Boss” posted. “How about you?”
This comment received over 586,900 views and 25,300 likes on the social media platform. Many other accounts posted similar content featuring negative comments toward McDonald’s due to Trump’s appearance on Sunday.
Film director and television producer Morgan J. Freeman was more succinct in his criticism of McDonald’s.
“F–k @McDonalds,” he said.
Rick Taylor, a self-described “former Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from Ohio,” sounded the alarm over Trump’s appearance at McDonald’s and predicted imminent doom for the fast food chain.
“I know it was a franchisee who pulled this stunt, by why didn’t corporate McDonald’s step in and pull the plug before it happened?” Taylor posted. “It now thrusts them into the political arena, globally. They’ve now alienated half of the US and the majority of the rest of the world.”
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However, despite a day’s worth of internet searches and social media outrage, Trump’s appearance at McDonald’s is not expected to have much long-term ramifications.
“The coverage and publicity alone generated from McDonald’s agreeing to have former President Trump work at one of their franchises already surpasses the negative chatter on social media,” Lori Rosen, president of the public relations firm Rosen Group, told the Associated Press. “I am not sure if the American people will benefit from this publicity stunt. However, McDonald’s comes out ahead.”